Thread-controller for sewing-machines.



B. V. KERSHNER. THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I6, i914.

Patented OGL. 31, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED IAN. I6. |914.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

4, SHEETS-SHEET 2 B. VI KERSHNER.

THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING'MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. Is. Isn.

1,203,201. Patented 001;.311916.

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THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 1s. |914.

v1 ,203201. Patented 001;. 31,1916.

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s ce@ N .g UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEFiCE.

BENJAMIN V. KERSHNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

THREAD-CONTROLLER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. s1, 1916.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN V. KERsH- NER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-Controllers for Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon. Y

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in thread controllers for sewing machines and more especially to a needle thread controller which operates to take up the needle thread after the needle loop is dropped from the looper.'

An object of the invention is to provide a thread contioller which takes up more or less thread according to the thickness of the material so as to draw the needle loops after they are shedfrom the looper to substantially the same position relative to the material even though the thickness of the material varies, whereby a uniform tight stitch may be produced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thread controller ofthe above type with means for clamping the thread between the take up and the supply at the time the said take up is pulling on the thread to draw up the needle loops.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thread controlling mechanism of the above character with devices whereby the needle on its upward stroke pulls thread from the supply and operates to draw on the needle thread for the final setting of the stitches.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a thread controller of the above type wherein the take up is moved out of contact with the needle thread during the pulling of the thread from the supply and the final setting ofthe stitches.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention: Figure l is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation showing a sewing machine having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the position of the parts of the thread controlling mechanism when the needle is at its highest point. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the position of .the parts when the needle is at its lowest point. Fig. t' is a detail showing diagrammatically the position of the parts when the needle loop is shed from the looper. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the looper is at the rear end of its stroke land the needle loop is drawn up to the under face of the material. Fig. 6 1s a top plan view of my improved thread controlling device. Fig. 7 is a detail in section showing the manner of operating the nippers. Fig. 8 is an end view of the work support with the cover cap removed, illustrating the relative positions of the needles and loopers. f

The sewing machine to which my invention 1s applied is designed particularly for stitching leather and is preferably provided with 4a plurality of needles arranged in pairs. A threadedlooper cooperates with each pair of needles.

In stitching leather, it is desired to form a tight stitch and in order that a tight stitch may be produced, it is essential that the needle loops shall be drawn well up underneath the material. When the thickness in the material varies, some means is necessary for varying the pull on the thread in order that the position of the needle loops relative to the under side of the material may be substantially uniform. If these needle loops are drawn to substantially the saine position relative to the fabric on the final setting of the stitches at the upward stroke of the needle, said stitches will be of substantially a uniform degree of tightness.

The invention consists, generally, in providing a take up which engages the needle thread at the time when the needle loop is shed from the looper and draws on the needle thread to take up this needle loop. Coperating with said take up is a thread guide which is shifted as the thickness of the material varies and the shifting of tliislthread drawn up by the take up will be uniformly This positioned relative to the material. take up also moves entirely out of contact with the needle thread so as to permit the thread to be drawn substantially straight from the supply with little or` no bends therein es the needle eeeehee the upper eed eed 3e will eeeee the eem 30 te be lowered.

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On the upward movement of the needles, the thread rolls 46 give up thread to the needles. The amount of thread taken up by to permit the eyes of the needles to clear the upper face of the material before the needle threads are drawn on by the continued upward movement of the needle bar for the final setting of the stitches. The continued upward movement of the needle'bar draws the needle Vthreads against the thread guides 39 and the rollers 44. Pulling on the threads notl only sets the stitch but pulls threadsV from the supply for the next stitch. At this time the nippers are open, the thread rolls 46 on the take up arm 45 are out of contact with the needle threads so, that the needle threads are pulled substantially straight from the supply with little or no bends or turns in the thread to place an undue tension thereon.

The guides 31, carried by the arm 30, are moved up and down according to the varying thickness of the material, as above described. Let us suppose the material decreases in thickness from one stitch to the next, the arm 30 will be thereby raised at its outer end as this decrease in the thickness of the material causes the presser foot to assume a lower position. This decrease in the thickness of the material consumes less r needle thread and therefore the take up arm 45 must take up more needle thread in order to draw the needle loop to the same relative position beneath the material. The upward movement of the thread guide 3l varies the distance between said thread guides and the thread rolls 46 when said thread rolls 46 are at the lower end of their stroke. tance has increased and, therefore, more thread will be taken up and the thread loops properly positioned in the same relation to the under face of the material as the previous loops so that on the final upward movement of the needle, the stitches will be drawn tight.

1f the thickness of the material under the presser foot increases, then the arm 31 will be lowered and less thread will be drawn up by the movement of the take up arm 45. This increase in the thickness of the material consumes more thread and, therefore, the needle loops may be drawn to the same position relative to the under face of the material and the final setting of the stitches will produce stitches of uniform tightness.

As the needle bar reaches the upper end released during This disof its stroke, thread setting of the stitches.

B y my improved thread controlled mechamsm, wherein the needle loops are uniformly positioned relative to the under face of the material regardless of the varying thickness of the material, the needle bar as it reaches the upper end of its stroke will pull off just vthe right amount of thread for the needles so that a tight stitch can be produced.

While I have described the take up arm as operated to take up the needle threads for drawing up the needle loops, it will be understood that this take up cooperates with the needles themselves in drawing up these loops. In other words, after the needle has passed into the material, the needle thread is doubled upon itself to form the new needle loop and the descent of the needles pull up the needle loops which were previously formed for pulling against the rolls on the take up arm as an abutment and the take up arm also draws up on the needle threads. This variable movement of the take up arm relative to the thread guides 3l causes the pulling up of the needle loops to a uniform degree.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departin from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what VI claim is f l. A sewing machine including in com-y bination, an overhanging arm, a shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, a needle bar, a needle carried thereby, means for reciprocating said needle bar from said shaft, a loopercoperating with said needle, thread guides over which the needle thread passes on the way from the supply to the needle and an arm pivotally mounted on said overhanging arm and having a roller at its outer end for engaging the thread between said guiding devices and means for oscillating'said arm from said shaft said thread arm being normally out of Contact with the needle thread when the needle is at the upper end of its stroke and timed to engage Vsaid needle thread substantially as the previous needle loop is shed from the looper for drawing up said previous needle loop.

2. A sewing machine including in combination, an overhanging arm, a shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, a needle bar, a needle carried thereby, means for reciprocating said needle bar from said shaft, a looper coperating with said needle, thread guides over which the needle thread passes on the way from the supply to the needle and an arm pivotally mounted on said overhanging arm and having a roller at its 'outer end for engaging the vvious needle loop,

Vmounted in said overhanging arm,

VVthread nippers Y of its stroke,

thread between Y said guiding devices and means for oscillating said arm from said shaft said threadV arm beingnormallyout of contact with the needle thread when the needle is at the upper end of its stroke and timed to engage said needle thread substantially as the previous needle loop is shed from the looper said needle bar having devices at its upper needle thread 'for stitches andr for drawing trom the supply.

3. A sewing mac ine including in combination, an overhanging arm, .a shaft a needle bar, Va needle carried thereby, meansfor reciprocating said needle bar from said shaft, a looper coperating with said needle, thread guides over which the needle thread passes on the way from the supply to the needle and an arm pivotally mounted on said overhanging arm and havinga roller at its outer vend Jr'or engaging tween said guiding devices and means for oscillating said arm thread arm being normally `out of contact with the needle thread when the needle is at the upper end of its stroke anditimed to engage said needle thread substantially as the previous needle loop is shed from the looper the final setting of the the needle thread .for drawing up said previous needle loop, said needle bar having devices at its-upper end for pulling on the needle thread Jfor the final setting of the stitches and for drawing the needle thread ronr lthe supply, and between said movable thread arm. and the supply for clamping the thread when saidarm is in engagement therewith and means for releasing the nippers when-the needle bar vis pulling thread Afrom the'supply. Y

4. A sewing machine including in com- Y bination a needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a looper coperating with said needle,

and devices operating to take up the needle thread on the downward movement of the needle whereby the previous needle loop dropped by the looper mayV be drawn up against the under face of thematerial, said devices including a rmovable thread arm which is out of contact withv the Vneedle thread when the needle is at the upper end with said movable thread arm, and means for shifting the said thread guiding device according to the varying thicknesses of the material whereby less thread is taken up Vwhen the material increases in thickness `and more thread is taken up when the material decreases in thickness.

5. A sewing machine including in combination a needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a looper coperating with said needle,

and devices operating Vto take up the needle Yagainst the under for drawing.v up said preend `for vpulling on the.

the thread be from Vsaid shaft saidv a thread guide coperating thread on the downward movement of the needle whereby the previous needle loop dropped by the looper may be drawn up face of the material, said devices including a movable thread .arm which is out of contact with the needle threadwhen the needle is at the upper end of its stroke, a thread guide coperating with said movable thread arm, and means for shitting said thread guiding device according to the varying thicknesses ofthe material wherebyV less thread-is taken upY when the material increases in thicknessand moreA thread is taken up when the material decreases in thickness, said needle bar having. devices 'at its upper end for pulling on the needle thread for the final setting oi' the stitches and for drawing from the supply. Y

' 6. A sewing machine including in combination a needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a looper coperating with said needle, and vdevices operating to take up the needle thread on the downwardmovement of the needle whereby the previous needle loop dropped by the looper may against the under 'face of the material, said devices including a movable thread arm which is out of contact with the needle thread when the needle is at the upper end of its stroke, a thread guide coperating Vwith said movable is in engagement therewith, and means Jrerv releasing said nippers when the needle bar is pulling thread from'the supply.

7. AV sewing machine including in combination an overhanging arm, a main shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, a needle bar reciprocating in said arm, a needle carried by said needle bar, a looper coperating with said needle, aV movable thread arm, means operated by said shaft for oscillating said thread arm, thread guides coperating with saidthread arm, nippers located between said threadl arm and supply lmeans for normallycausing said nippers Vto grip the thread and means operated byV said shaft for opening said nippers, said parts being timed so that said thread Varm will pull Von the-needle, thread arm when the nippers are closed and while the needle is'moving to the varies whereby theamount vof thread taken up by the thread arm is increasedvwhen the thread arm and the sup-V the needle threadL be drawnV up Y thickness of thematerialldecreases and is diminished when the thickness of the material increases.

8. A sewing machine including in combination an overhanging arm, a bracket mounted on said overhanging arm, a shaft located in said bracket, a main shaft mounted in the overhanging arm, devices for oscillating said first named shaft from said main shaft, a thread arm mounted on said first named shaft and normally out of engagement with the needle thread, thread guiding devices cooperating with said arm,

va needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a

presser bar, a presser foot mounted thereon, a second bracket mounted on said overhangving arm, an arm mounted on said last named bracket and connected to said presser bar whereby the up and down movements of said presser bar will shift said arm, one of said thread guides cooperating fwith the movable thread arm being mounted on said arm connected to the presser bar.

9. A sewing machine including in combination an overhanging arm, a bracket mounted on said overhangng arm, a shaft located in said bracket, a mainshaft mounted in the overhanging arm, devices for oscillating said first named shaft from said main shaft, a thread arm mounted on said first named shaft and normally out of engagement with the needle thread, thread guiding devices cooperating with said arm, a needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a presser bar, a presser foot mounted thereon, a second bracket mounted on said overhanging arm, an arm mounted on said last named bracket and connected to said presser bar whereby the up and down movements of said presser bar will shift said arm, one of said thread guides cooperating with the movable thread arm being mounted on said arm connected to the presser bar, thread nippers located between the thread arm and supply, means for normally holding said nippers closed, and .an arm carried by said iirst named shaft for releasing said nippers, said parts being so timed that the nippers are closed when said thread arm is drawing on the needle thread.

ln testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN V. KERSHNER.

Witnesses:

A. E. F EIGEL, W. CASEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, D. C. 

